Iran Launches Drone Strikes Targeting US Vessels

IRAN – In retaliation to the US firing and seizure of their vessel, Iran on Sunday launched drone strikes targeting US vessels, according to local reports.

Tasnim news agency reported that after US forces boarded the container ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian drones were launched against American vessels, without specifying whether the targets were military or commercial.

Iran had confirmed earlier that US forces separated the Iranian vessel and warned that it would retaliate “soon” following the move, which it called a violation of a Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire that has largely held since it was announced on April 7.

Fars News Agency, also semi-official, reported that the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said US forces had targeted the vessel, disabled its navigation system and boarded it after what it described as a ceasefire violation.

Ship tracking data shows the TOUSKA departed Port Klang in Malaysia on April 12.

Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said US forces opened fire at the vessel before boarding it.

The incident was first announced by US President Donald Trump on Sunday and later confirmed by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which said the USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship, which attempted to breach a US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman.

According to CENTCOM, Marines continue to hold the vessel in US custody. It said in a statement that it was bound for the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.

CENTCOM also released video footage on the US social media company X’s platform showing a US warship warning the vessel before firing.

Zolfaghari said “the aggressive United States, by violating the ceasefire and engaging in maritime piracy, attacked one of Iran’s vessels after disabling its navigation system.”

He added that US forces boarded the vessel after deploying “a number of terrorist marines” onto it.

“We warn that Iran’s military forces will soon respond to and retaliate against this armed act of piracy by the US military,” he said.

Late Sunday, CENTCOM also said through X that US Marines launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA‑7) and flew over the Arabian Sea before boarding the vessel.

Marines rappelled onto the Iranian-flagged M/V Touska on Sunday after USS Spruance (DDG 111) disabled the ship’s propulsion when it failed to comply with repeated US warnings over a six-hour period, CENTCOM added.